Employers added a better-than-expected 211,000 jobs in April as the unemployment rate fell

Hiring in the US rebounded in April as employers added a brisk 211,000 jobs.

The unemployment rate dipped to 4.4 percent its lowest point in a decade from 4.5 percent in March, according to a report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday.

The figures suggest that businesses expect consumer demand to rebound after a lackluster first quarter, when Americans increased spending at the slowest pace in seven years, and will need more employees.

Average paychecks grew more slowly in April.

Last quarter, consumers spent less in part because of low utility bills during an unseasonably warm winter. That's likely to prove a temporary restraint.

And the housing market is reaching new heights as home sales and construction march upward even though a limited number of properties are for sale. Sales of existing homes jumped in March to their highest level in more than a decade.